Fonterra Opens Office in India

New Zealand dairy giant places dedicated leadership to develop opportunities in the rapidly growing Indian market.

Source: Fonterra news release

New Zealand-based Fonterra Co-operative Group Ltd., the world’s largest dairy exporter, announced yesterday it will be opening an office in Delhi and appointing Hamish Gowans as General Manager for Fonterra in India.

It will be the co-operative’s first operating office in the country and the first time Fonterra has employed its own India-based staff. These developments follow Fonterra’s strategy refresh in March.

Fonterra’s office in Delhi will officially open in 2013.

Kelvin Wickham, Fonterra President for Greater China and India, said the opening of the Delhi office and Gowans' appointment will allow Fonterra to gain a better understanding of this important dairy market.

“India’s dairy industry is growing rapidly,” Wickham said. “With 20 million more mouths to feed every year and an increasingly affluent population, the demand for high quality dairy nutrition continues to grow at a rapid pace – annual dairy consumption is forecast to reach around 180-200 million tonnes by the end of the decade.

“Today India produces around one sixth of the world’s milk and almost all of this is consumed locally,” added Wickham. “The country has a large, complex dairy industry and, while Fonterra has developed a strong knowledge of the country’s dairy environment, it is clear we need to have dedicated leadership on the ground to further strengthen relationships and develop opportunities.

Gowans has more than 10 years of experience in the dairy industry and a deep understanding of the dairy business. “He is very well placed to guide Fonterra in India as we explore opportunities in this fast-growing dairy market,” said Wickham.

For the last three years, Gowans has managed Fonterra's ingredient business into India, Pakistan, Bangladesh, Sri Lanka, Nepal, Malaysia and Singapore. He joined the Kiwi Co-operative Dairies as a graduate, moving up the ranks to hold a number of senior sales and product manager roles.

Gowans said Fonterra and New Zealand has a long-established relationship with India.

“The first New Zealand dairy products arrived in India in 1885,” said Gowans. “We have been supplying dairy ingredients to Indian customers for generations and have strong relationships across the country. Establishing a presence on the ground will allow us to explore further opportunities in the world’s fastest growing dairy market. We are committed to deepening our knowledge of the local dairy environment and want to work alongside the local industry to build the supply of high quality dairy nutrition to India.”